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The quilt was started

a few years ago and stalled

My students at the time used to comment on how much I had done (not!) when they came to class as it sat on the design wall awaiting inspiration.

crazy patched background started

First construct the background

I used crazy patch technique

I decided to use crazy quilting to construct the background, as I thought it led the eye to 'see' different leafy trees, some sky peeping through, and variety behind the birds.

I built up the areas from darks at the bottom, to lights at the top.

Because this quilt was not to be made up of blocks (as in a bed quilt), I made areas of crazy patch and then combined them into the whole, to completely cover the foundation fabric which was cut roughly to the finished quilt's size.

Designing the birds

from bird photos

Using my Gould's bird book, I worked out how the plumage would need to be positioned.

I cut out a shape for each of the two birds, and then began to cut fabrics which would give an illusion of having been painted. Painted with fabric instead of brushwork.

Great wing fabrics came from a butterfly wing, some of the feathers are actually leaves from a rainforest print. Others are irregular striped fabrics. I used whatever would fit the colours and the space.

Using the techniques from Free Style Quilts by Susan Carlson enabled me to begin these birds and my Ulysses butterfly quilt Daintree Dalliance.

Yoou can buy your own copy of this book (See the link below.)

As I chose each piece, I glued them down with a spot of fabric glue to keep them secure until I started the preliminary thread work.

Love this book - get yout copy at Amazon

I was inspired by this 'new' approach for designing quilts.

I made a wonderful butterfly quilt which is one of my favourites, using the techniques described here.

Susan's newest book - get yours from Amazon

Work in progress

until I have finished the free machine embroidery

So far, I have added gum blossoms around the branch on which the rosellas are perched, stitched over much of the bodies of each bird, embroidered the leaves at the top of the quilt, stitched down the tree branch.

There is much left of the bodies to stitch, and then I will be almost done.

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